


The Lovers Will Go Down Together

by mixtapesandsunsets



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Friendship/Love, Sick Fic, almost msr, light mulder torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-17
Updated: 2016-10-17
Packaged: 2018-08-23 01:25:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8308366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mixtapesandsunsets/pseuds/mixtapesandsunsets
Summary: Mulder is sick, so Scully takes him to her apartment to take care of him. A fluffy sick fic full of friendship with hints of possible romance. Based very, very loosely on the song "HELP" by The Front Bottoms.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing but my own intense love for the X-Files and MSR.

Scully sighed, turning to look at Mulder in the passenger’s seat of her car. They were stuck in traffic, and Mulder was slumped against his seat, defeated. He had come into work sick that morning.  _ As always,  _ Scully thought fondly but not without worry,  _ his self-care could use some work.  _ Scully could tell the moment he walked into their office that he was sick, but he insisted he was fine when she confronted him. By lunchtime, however, he was worse. Much worse.

His hands shook as he tried to pour their coffee, and the sandwich he had brought was untouched. Coming around the desk to him, Scully touched his forehead with her palm. He was, predictably, burning up. He sighed as he leaned into the touch of her ever-cold hands. She gently pushed his hair away from his face with her other hand.

“Mulder,” she said softly, “I’m going to take you home.”

“Scully, I’m fine,” Mulder replied, his voice hoarse, “I can work.”

Speaking more firmly this time, “No. I’m not asking Mulder. This isn’t good for you. You need some rest.”

He sighed, his eyes still closed as he relished her cool touch on his face. “Okay, Scully. Thank you.”

She smiled her rarest, softest smile that she reserved for him. “Always.”

After explaining to Skinner what was going on, and telling him she would be taking the rest of the day off, she went back to the basement to pack up their things. She helped Mulder up, and seeing his apparent lack of balance, wrapped an around him and led him to the elevator and to her car. 

Now, stuck in traffic, she clenched her fist as she cursed herself for putting off getting the heat fixed in her car. It was abnormally cold, even for December, and she hadn’t really expected to get caught in the early afternoon DC traffic. Glancing to Mulder again, she saw that he was shivering violently.  _ Shit.  _

Hesitating only for a moment, she unbuckled her seatbelt and unbuttoned her long wool coat. She wore a sweater to work, so she figured she could spare it, considering her partner’s need was obviously much more pressing than hers. She draped it over him, making sure it covered as much as she could, and tucking it gently around his thin frame. He smiled sleepily, snuggling into it. 

Scully grinned, reaching in her purse for her camera, which she had taken to keeping with her at all times once she started working on the x-files. If she saw something, and she was going to believe, then she’d be damned if everyone else didn’t have to believe too. She snapped a picture of Mulder, looking pale and sick but decidedly adorable as he napped in her passenger’s seat. She’d have to decide later if she would use that as blackmail or as a memento of friendship.

Finally, the traffic got moving again and she made it to her apartment building. She turned off the car. Going around to the other side of the car, she opened the passenger door and placed a hand softly on Mulder’s shoulder.

“Mulder,” she said softly, “come on. We’re here. We need to go inside before you freeze to death.” 

“Oh,” he mumbled, clearly half asleep still, “you coming in?”

“Yes Mulder I am, it’s my apartment,” she replied, not without humor.

“Wha?” he slurred “Why we at your apartment Dana?”

_ Dana? Oh my god, he must be sick.  _ “I have everything I need to take care of you here Mulder. Now come on, or I’ll leave you in the cold.”

He finally pulled himself out of the car, leaning onto Scully for support. He held Scully’s coat under his other arm. They began the trek to the elevator. 

They were both silent for a bit. Once in the elevator, Mulder seemed very surprised. “I have your jacket.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

The question was so innocent and childlike that Scully was surprised into a smile. “Because you were cold.”

He cocked his head. “Weren’t you cold?”

“I’m alright Mulder.” She couldn’t ignore the concern in his eyes.  _ Even when he’s sick he worries about me,  _ she thought warmly. “I promise,” she said, squeezing his waist softly.

He smiled tiredly again. “M’kay.”

The elevator dinged as they reached Scully’s floor and she led him to her apartment. Their travel and conversation seemed to have exhausted him: his feet dragged and she took on more and more of his weight as they approached her door. Finally they reached it and she managed to unlock and open the door with her left hand. 

She debated internally on putting him on the couch, but she knew from experience how uncomfortable that thing was. She took him to her bedroom and helped him sit down on the bed. The fact that he didn’t make a smart remark about Scully taking him to her bedroom genuinely concerned her: his eyes seemed glazed over as he took in his surroundings.

Kneeling in front of him, she removed his shoes and socks. She hesitated, but took off his pants as well. She then removed his jacket, tie, and dress shirt, leaving him in his boxers and undershirt. 

She felt his forehead again. It certainly didn’t feel any better. In fact, it felt like it may even be worse. “Mulder, I’m going to get a thermometer. Stay here for me, alright?” Mulder nodded slowly.  _ It’s not like he’s in much of a state to go anywhere anyways,  _ she mused as she dug through her medicine chest. She got her thermometer, filled a cup with lukewarm water, and grabbed some fever reducer. On second thought, she grabbed a washcloth and ran cool water over it then wrung it out.

She walked back into her bedroom where Mulder appeared to be falling asleep sitting up, his neck was bent forward in a way that looked almost painful, his chin to his chest. Scully set the tray holding her supplies down on her nightstand.

At this noise, Mulder’s head shot up and look around, panicked. 

“Hey, hey,” Scully said, going to him and cupping his cheek, “it’s just me.”

He relaxed. “Scully.” 

“Yes. I need you to open your mouth for me, okay? I’m going to take your temperature.”

He did, and she slipped the device under his tongue, sitting next to him to wait. The small beep sounded, and she gently took back her thermometer. 103. 

Scully frowned. “Your fever is pretty high Mulder. You need to take this medicine.”

“I don’t want any medicine,” Mulder said petulantly.

“It’s just fever reducer Mulder, I promise. It’ll make you feel better.”

He sighed, looking almost scared. “I trust you.”

“Good,” she replied softly, grabbing him a couple of the pills and the glass of water. He took them diligently, and Scully rubbed his back gently. “Thank you Mulder. Now let’s get you settled in.” 

Setting the water back on the table, she pulled the covers down and helped Mulder lie back. She left the comforter at the end of the bed, but pulled her thin sheet over his body so he wouldn’t get too cold. She gently laid the cool rag over his forehead as he sighed in relief. 

“Call me if you need anything, okay? I’ll be right in the living room.” 

As she went to turn away, Mulder grabbed her hand. “Thank you Scully,” he rasped as he brought her hand to his chapped lips and kissed it softly.

Scully’s heart clenched as she caressed his cheek. “You’re welcome sweetheart,” she whispered.  _ What the hell Scully? Sweetheart?  _ Mulder either didn’t notice this term of endearment or didn’t care, as he was smiling as he gently released her hand.

She slipped out of the room, going to her couch and leaning back, grabbing her novel to read while she waited for Mulder to wake up again.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

She didn’t have to wait nearly as long as she’d thought. After only about 30 minutes, she heard Mulder begin to toss and turn. She shrugged it off, assuming he was just trying to get comfortable. Soon though, he began to whimper. 

“Not Scully no, no,  **no** not her. Please don’t hurt her.”

Scully threw her book down and all but leapt off the couch, racing to her bedroom. She found Mulder absolutely trapped in her sheets, they were twisted around his body as he tried ever harder to escape. 

“Please, I’ll do anything, don’t hurt her. Take me, please, do anything to me, just leave her be, she’s everything to me,  **please** .” He began to cry in his sleep.

Scully reached for him, cupping his cheek. “Mulder, I’m here. I’m okay. It’s just a dream.” He continued to thrash, pulling his face out of her hand. His fever dreams were, apparently, even worse than his normal ones. Scully’s stomach squeezed almost painfully; she had to get him out of his head. 

She sat down next to him, grabbing his arms to calm his thrashing a bit. “Mulder, I’m right here, do you hear me?” Scully said insistently. “I need you to come back to me Mulder. I  _ need  _ you.” At this, she began to tear up a bit herself. “Mulder, I’m safe, we’re safe. I need you to fight this, it’s not real. Wake up, please.” 

She began to gently shake his shoulder. “I’m here,” she said over and over again.

All at once he jolted awake, looking to all the world like he had just been shocked back to life. His fever-glazed hazel eyes were red from crying (before Mulder she had never known you could cry in your sleep), and he looked around desperately. His eyes found Scully, and the sheer amount of wonder and relief she found there brought a few tears down her cheeks. 

“Scully? You’re okay?”

She laughed wetly. “Yes darling, I’m fine. I’m right here.” Now that he was done writhing, she cupped his cheek again. “I’m fine.”

Mulder’s eyes grew panicked again. “You’re crying, Scully, you’re not okay, I let you get hurt, I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry,” he mumbled quickly, turning his head away.

She went and laid in the bed next to him, lying on her side so they were face to face. She grabbed his hand, intertwined their fingers tightly.

“I’m not hurt, Mulder. You didn’t do anything wrong. You just had a very bad dream.” She spoke softly, as if to a scared child.

“A.. a dream? It was just a dream?”

“Yes. Just a dream. We’re both fine.”

“Then why were you crying?”

She smiled softly and brushed his hair away from his forehead. “I was worried about you. You wouldn’t wake up, and I wanted to help.”

He squeezed her hand tightly, eyes bright in earnest. “You do help! You always help me. You’re.. you’re the only one that helps me.”

“I’ll always be here to help then, sweetheart. Do you think you want to sleep for awhile longer?”

He shook his head quickly. 

“Okay then, that’s fine. Would you like something to eat?”

“Sure Scully,” he murmured, smiling.

“Okay, I’ll fix some soup. Is chicken noodle okay? It’s my mother’s recipe.”

“Mm hmm.” 

Scully moved to get up, and Mulder moved to follow. “Uh uh,” she said firmly. “You’re staying here. I’ll get you a new cool cloth and I’m going to retake your temperature, then you’re going to  **relax** for a few minutes while I make us dinner.”

He slumped back down, defeated. “Okay, Scully.”

“Thank you.”

She went and recooled the cloth as promised, and came back into the room to check his temp. Sliding it back into his mouth, she waited for a moment. Upon the beep, she read that his temperature was now only 102. All improvement is good news, she supposed, though she’d like it to be lower. She gently placed the cool cloth on his forehead. “Looking better, Mulder. The fever should break tonight.”

“That’s good news,” he said hoarsely. 

She smoothed the cloth a final time and smiled. “I’ll be back before you know it, okay?”

Mulder looked hesitant. “Okay.” She began to walk out of the room, but his voice stopped her at the door. “Scully?”

“Yes?”

“Could you.. Could you please talk to me while you’re in the other room? It’s just.. I just need to know you’re okay.”

“Of course Mulder.”

She walked away, and began to talk. While she chopped up vegetables and heated broth, she babbled on and on about how her favorite book of all time was  _ The Bell Jar _ , and that she had loved it since she was in college and she found how she connected so well to Esther’s character. She told him all about the metaphor of the fig tree, and how for the longest time she felt she was in one herself. Once in awhile, she still did. But she told him, also, that she found herself in that tree much less often since she began working with him. “You’re the fig I chose Mulder. Even without realizing it, the day I walked into that office was the day I let all of the other figs wrinkle and fall, but this time I didn’t care. I still don’t. I wouldn’t change a day with you.”

She had the soup ready and was walking toward him while she explained this last part. She shook her head, smiling to herself.  _ He’s probably been asleep this whole time. I probably just talked to myself for 20 minutes. _

To her surprise, however, he was not only awake, he was leaning against the headboard of her bed. Upon getting closer, she realized that he appeared to be crying again. 

She set the tray down and rushed over to him. “Oh, Mulder, what’s wrong, are you alright?” She gently wiped his tears and reached up to feel his forehead again. He didn’t feel worse than he had before, as far as she could tell. “What’s wrong?” she asked again softly.

He suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her nearly onto his lap. She rubbed his back in small circles, then gently kissed the top of his head. He continued to burrow into her, so she began to carefully rock them back and forth, still cradling him in her arms. “I’m right here Mulder. I’m here.”

“I know,” he choked out into her chest. “Scully, I’m scared.” 

“What are you afraid of, Mulder?” 

He didn’t answer, only continued the iron grip he had on her midriff. 

“Mulder, let me help. You’re not alone.”

“I know Scully, I know, and that’s just it. I’m supposed to be alone. I’m not supposed to need you like this.”

“Hey,” she said softly, “look at me.” 

“I.. I can’t.”

“Fox, please. Please.” 

He finally lifted his head to look at her, face blotchy and miserable.

“You’re allowed to need help sometimes, Mulder. You’re allowed to get sick, and I know you can take care of yourself,  _ God _ do I know that, but I want to help. I do it because I care about you, Mulder. And as long as I’m on this Earth, you’ll never have to be alone. I’m here.  _ Let me  _  be here.”

Mulder nodded, squeezing her again. “Home.”

“You want to go home?” she asked, hoping desperately that he’d stay.

“No, Scully. You’re home. You’re  _ my  _ home.”

Scully found her eyes filling with tears for the second time that day because of Fox Mulder. She wrapped her arms around him as far as she could. “And you’re mine, Mulder. I meant what I said out there. There’s no place I’d rather be.”

They just sat there quietly for a moment until she realized that the soup was getting cold across the room. “Come on sweetheart,” she coaxed, “you have to sit up. It’s time to eat.” She didn’t even notice the terms of endearment slipping out at this point. 

Mulder obliged, leaning against the headboard once again. He gazed at her so fondly that it almost felt loving. She wasn’t sure if it actually was, and either way he may or may not be in a febrile haze, so she smiled back in the same fashion but tried not to read too much into it.

They sat shoulder to shoulder and ate their soup in companionable silence. When they finished their soup, Mulder looked as if he was on the verge of falling asleep where he sat. Scully gently took his dishes from him and took them to the kitchen, deciding to deal with them in the morning. She went back to Mulder and helped him to the bathroom, but he didn’t need as much help as earlier: he was looking and feeling better at this point.

She stood outside the door, humming Queen songs under her breath.

“Scully?”

“Yes, Mulder?”

“Is it alright if I shower?”

“Do you feel well enough to stand unsupported for that long?” He nodded. “Then of course. Let me get your things.” She went to get his clothes she kept at her apartment in case of emergencies, along with a fresh towel and washcloth. She set his things on the closed toilet seat and ran the shower for him.

Mulder rolled his eyes. _He must be feeling better, then,_ Scully thought happily. 

“Scully. I can do that myself.”

“I know, but I’m not sure how high your fever is right now and I want to make sure it’s a good temperature so it won’t raise it higher.”

He smiled, shaking his head. “Alright, thanks Dr. Scully.”

“Anytime, G-man.”

She left so he could undress and went back to the couch where she could read her book and listen for any problems with Mulder in the bathroom. 

 

\---------------------------

 

Thankfully, everything went fine and Mulder came out to the living room only to find Scully dozing with her book on her chest.  _ She’ll be pissed that she lost her page tomorrow _ , Mulder thought. He gently picked the book up and set it on the coffee table. Reaching behind Scully on the couch, he took the old throw blanket she kept there and draped it over her, leaning down to kiss her forehead as he did so. The sudden movement change made his stomach lurch and he leaned against the couch for support, head spinning.  _ Alright. Not ready for that yet. _

After getting his bearings, he went around to the other side of the couch and sat down, carefully pulling Scully’s feet into his lap. Leaning back, he took a second to just think about everything. The shower had made him more alert, which he was thankful for. He was in Scully’s apartment, with her feet on his lap, and she had been taking care of him all day.

Honestly, he couldn’t remember the last time someone had truly taken care of him. Realistically, it probably hadn’t happened since before Samantha’s abduction. He had had partners since then, of course, and some pretty serious ones at that. But he had never trusted them like he trusts Scully, who is only his partner in the most literal sense. They were supposed to be nothing more than coworkers, but somehow he got lucky enough to get a best friend. More than that really. A soulmate. He hoped their relationship would progress beyond just incredibly close friendship, but even that was so wonderful that he could live his whole life with it and be happy. Looking over at Scully sleeping peacefully, face more relaxed than he had ever seen it awake, he decided that he could spend his whole life in this moment, sick or not, and be happy.

He wasn’t sure how long he sat there meditating, but eventually Scully woke up, stretching slowly. 

“Hey,” she said sleepily, “sorry Mulder. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“It’s alright. Was it a good nap?”

“It was wonderful. Thank you for covering me up, I appreciate it.”

“I appreciate you, Scully.”

She blushed, but Mulder knew she was trying to hide it so he didn’t comment.

“How are you feeling?” she asked as she sat up, changing the subject.

“Much better, thanks to you.” 

“I’m glad. Are you hungry?” 

“Not really.”

“Tea?” 

“Sure. I can make it.”

“No it’s alright Mulder. I got it. Is mint okay?”

“Of course.”

Scully stood up from the couch, stretching again, and made her way to the kitchen. She rummaged through her cupboards until she found the tea and put the kettle on the stove to boil.

“How do you take your tea, darling?” Scully called from the kitchen.

Mulder’s eyes widened.  _ Darling? Oh my god. She’s never called me that before. _ But this thought actually brought to his mind blurry memories of Scully wiping his fever-hot forehead with a rag, whispering words of comfort, sweet names coming from her mouth while her eyes were full of care and worry.  _ So maybe she has.  _ Finally he realized that if he acted weird about it he may very well lose this precious gift, so he called back “Just milk and sweetener is great, thank you!”

\-------------------------------

Scully clapped her hand over her face.  _ Oh my god, Dana. You need to stop this. He’s lucid now, he’ll notice. _ Mulder responded normally however, so she figured he just hadn’t noticed the slip-up. Regardless, she hid in the kitchen until the tea was ready to be served.

Heading into the living room and handing Mulder his mug, she sat down next to him.

He turned and smiled at her. “Michigan, huh?” he asked, looking at the maize and blue mug she had given him.

She smiled back. “Mhm. One of my best friends went to undergrad there.”

“Cool, I didn’t know that.”

She smiled sweetly at him and nodded, taking a sip of her tea. Sighing contentedly, she leaned back into the couch, reaching for the throw blanket to cover them with. 

Mulder leaned over and kissed her head. “Still sleepy?” he murmured.

Scully nodded, leaning her head softly on Mulder’s shoulder. Hesitantly, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Sleep, love. I’ll wake you if I need anything.”

So she snuggled in closer, and she slept.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! I'd like to write a sequel/continuation sometime, but we'll see where my life takes me. Have a good day everyone!


End file.
